Can a wood stove be too used?

[woodjack]

I recently bought a second hand wood stove (1994 Regency F3000L) that I have not connected yet, but was wondering if it may be "too used". I bought it from people who were using it 24/7 as their sole source of heat in cold weather climate. Since the unit is about 13 years old I'm figuring this wood stove has seen an awful lot of fire. On one hand, I figure it's just a steel box that contains fire so there is not much that could go wrong with it. Regency seems to be a reputable manufacturer and I like the way it looks, but maybe there's more too it that I am not aware of (i.e. metal fatigue, reduced efficiency). I don't want to install a low cost second hand unit that will give me a lot of headaches and ultimately cost me more money. Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[jqgs214]

Post some pictures of the unit inside and out. The experts here will tell ya from that if it looks ok.

 

[webbie]

A steel stove such as this is likely to last longer then 13 years. You'll probably need to do some fixing and parts replacement, but I think that the Avalons (similar stoves) that I sold in 1987 are probably all out there still working today.

 

[woodjack]

I tried to post photos but the site says the files are too large. What should I be looking for that can be a problem?

 

[woodjack]

What parts may need replacing and what breaks on a wood stove that must be fixed?

 

[JMF1]

Hi woodjack and welcome to the forum........I would look for signs of overfiring, warpage and cracks. Also check all moving parts for wear such as the door hinges and air control. You might want to check into having a stove shop come look it over, might be worth the money before you install it. I'm sure the experts here will chime in soon on other things to check.........good luck with it.

 

[EddyKilowatt]

Not an expert either, but I think woodstoves are one of the easier AND more cost-effective things to buy used... since nearly everything that can go wrong with them is readily visible. Warped, sagged, or burned-looking metal parts would be the most serious flaws, followed by moving parts (doors, air controls) that don't move, followed by rust, bad paint, or other cosmetic defects. Stoves are pretty much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get deal, there isn't much hidden or mysterious about them.

When I go to look at a used stove I try to have already looked at the owner's manual online so I know roughly where the internal parts like baffles and firebricks should be, and how the controls are supposed to work. (Checking online also tells me if the manufacturer is still in business and what sort of spare-parts support to expect.) Missing standard-size firebricks are no problem to replace cheaply, and the same goes for door gaskets... I would guess that cracked pyroceram windows could be cut to order by a glass shop but I've never had to try. Missing custom-shaped refractory pieces or metal parts would be a fair bit more expensive to replace, if they are available at all.

At any rate, compared to buying a used car, used house, or even a used washing machine... buying a used woodstove is easy and should be a low-stress experience!

Eddy

 

[beagler]

How long will a Jotul stove last?

 

[BrotherBart]

How long will a Jotul stove last?

About as long as it takes me to sell my F3. Everybody loves their F3 but me. I just don't like the way the damn thing burns.

Realistically the things should last thirty years or more. Now how many times you have to replace the baffle cover/secondary air chamber is a different question. I just discovered the other day that it is galvanized steel. Not stainless.

 

[beagler]

My Jotul is brand new. What are some signs that the air chamber and baffle cover are going bad?

 

[woodjack]

Oh yeah, over firing. What is a sign of over firing. . . .and what is over firing?

 

[Gooserider]

I tried to post photos but the site says the files are too large. What should I be looking for that can be a problem?

You need to resize your photos - most photo editing software can do this, or there are online sites that can do it for you. On this board 640x480 works pretty well, if using JPEGS go for about 75% on the quality scale (I generally use the default)

Another option is to put your photos up on one of those photo-sharing websites (I use Photo Bucket) and put up a link to the page. This works especially well if you have a lot of pics as it saves having to resize all of them.

Gooserider

 

[begreen]

My Jotul is brand new. What are some signs that the air chamber and baffle cover are going bad?

Burning will become erratic, lop sided and maybe lower heat. Visually apparent holes will usually be the giveaway. You have many years to go, not to worry.

 

[Gooserider]

Over-firing is just what it sounds like - running the stove at a higher temperature than it was designed for, resulting in possible metalurgical changes, metal fatigue, burned / melted parts, etc. Aside from the obvious damage, the biggest signs are either distorted metal, or a whitish discoloration.

There is a good article in the Wiki on purchasing used stoves and what to look for. In addition to the earlier suggestion of reading the online manual if possible, (great idea BTW) it is worth reading.

Gooserider

 

[kolbyTheDog]

Hi Woodjack,

I bought a used Regency R6 "large" free standing wood stove in Dec 07 and installed it myself and it has been running like a top! Great deal. Search my posts for the direct line phone number to call Regency with tech questions or if you need a manual they can e-mail you a PDF. All I had to do to get mine going was replace the door and glass gasket which I bought from a local home center, take apart the blower and vac it out and put a new "high temp" spec electrical cord on it, and I ordered the special cut piece of baffle insulation that goes above the metal baffle in the top of the stove from my local Regency dealer. I've discussed all this in my old posts so check em out for info.

How much did you pay for yours?